When Love Remains
by McKenzieAnne
Summary: This my take on what happened after The Singing. Maerad and Cadvan return to Pellinor. They must help with the eradication of Sharma's remaining forces. And they get to explore their new found love for each other. Major MaeradxCadvan. Please R&R.
1. Chapter 1

Maerad woke with a start. It was the middle of the night and she couldn't remember where she was. As she glanced around the room she was in, the past week's events came rushing back to her. The singing and restoration of the treesong, and traveling from the Hutmoors towards Innail, it was all a blur. Except for the moment when Cadvan had held her and showered her face with kisses and then she had kissed him back. She felt her heart flutter and she smiled. She loved him and hadn't realized it until that moment and now she knew he loved her. After the kiss he had whispered in her ear.

"I love you Maerad of Pellinor, and no one will make me believe otherwise." He had said.  
"I love you too Cadvan." She had whispered back.  
She looked at him asleep on the sofa next to the door. They were traveling as Husband and wife. Saliman and Hekibal were the same. Hem wasn't really undercover. They had told the innkeeper that he was her brother and so he had the room next door.  
Hem wasn't happy with the sleeping arrangements. He wasn't happy with the fact that Cadvan had kissed her and that she was okay with it. He had been glaring daggers at Cadvan the whole time they traveled and it didn't get any better when they came up with their cover story. They had argued and she still regretted some of the things she said.  
"No, I am not okay with this plan, Maerad how can you be okay with this plan?"  
"Hem, I have traveled with Cadvan for longer than I have known you. How could you think that for one second I wouldn't be okay with this plan? It will disguise us for as long as we're in the town and as soon as we leave we will come up with another. It's temporary Hem. I know you are worried about me. Don't you think if anything were to happen between Cadvan and I it would've happened already?"  
"Maerad…I'm sorry, I didn't mean too-"  
"It's all right, let's hurry into town, we're all tired and there's a storm moving in.  
They had remounted their horses and by the time they reached the inn the rain had soaked there clothing. They had hurried to their rooms to dry off and fall asleep. I must apologize to Hem in the morning, she thought as she drifted off to sleep.  
In the morning it was Cadvan who woke her.  
"Maerad my dear, I'm sorry but you can't sleep in today. We must leave as soon as possible. Sharma may have been defeated but there are still those of the dark who may hunt us. Hurry and dress and come down for breakfast. I am going to go wake Hem and Saliman." He gave her a quick kiss on the lips and left to do as he said.  
She wanted to stay in the warm bed. She wanted to sleep. Instead she dragged herself out of bed and into her clothes. They were still slightly damp from the night before and she shivered when they touched her skin. It was going to be a long cold day. She made her way downstairs towards the dining room. Saliman and Cadvan were at a table speaking with each other while they ate. She quietly sat next to Cadvan and he placed an arm around her shoulders. The Innkeepers wife soon brought her a plate and as she ate she listened to Saliman and Cadvan make plans in hushed tones.  
"I say we stick to the main roads."  
"There is too much danger, Cadvan. Sharma is defeated but there are those who still work for the dark under Enkir."  
"Saliman, you are not up to your full strength, Maerad is not up to her full strength and neither is Hem. We cannot travel through the wilderness and keep all of us alive and well. On the roads there are others to help us should we run into trouble."  
"Do you really think that the people will help Bards in this time. Cadvan, everyone is too afraid."  
"That is why we don't rely on regular people. We must rely on the bards that we know between her and Innail."  
"Cadvan, there are at least three towns before either of us know a bard."  
"Three towns are better than a wilderness with no help at all. Maerad what do you think?"  
Maerad looked up from her food, slightly startled at the request for her opinion. She swallowed the bite of food in her mouth. And thought for a moment.  
"I have to side with Cadvan on this one. I am weaker than ever as much as I don't care to admit it. Hem is tired after healing you Saliman and after the treesong. And Saliman you were healed of the white sickness but you weren't healed of the exhaustion from battling it. Whenever we've traveled through the wilderness we've started in good condition and been worn to over exhaustion. I can imagine that starting in the condition we are in could cost us one of our lives."  
"Maerad you have made a good point. Ah here comes Hem. Discuss it with him. I am going to go check on Hekibel, it worries me that she isn't up yet."  
Saliman made his way upstairs and greeted Hem as He passed him by.  
"Good Morning Hem." Maerad and Cadvan said in unison.  
Hem responded with a mumbled greeting as he plopped down opposite of them. They spoke of their plans for travel and reluctantly Hem also agreed with Maerad and Cadvan.  
"Maerad why don't you go upstairs and see what is keeping Saliman and Hekibel and make sure everything is packed we must leave as soon as possible."  
"Hem you can have the last of my potatoes." Hem smiled at the thought of more food, but then remembered his missing friend Irc and how he would've claimed most of the potatoes and the smile fell away. Maerad gave Cadvan a quick hug and made her way upstairs. Hem gave Cadvan a glare and then looked back to his food.  
"Hem, I know you are not happy with your sister and I being together, but I want you to know that I will never hurt her. I will protect her with my life and won't let anyone else hurt her. I love her more than I have loved anyone else in my life."  
Hem looked him in the eyes, the anger showing clearly in his own.  
"And if you ever break that promise. Know that I will come after you. And you will wish that you had never fallen in love with her." He then abruptly stood and stormed up the stairs. On his way he ran into Maerad who was rushing down the stairs to find Hem.  
"Hem, Hekibel is sick, Saliman asked for you to come help him with her."  
As he hurried up the stairs, his previous anger forgotten, she made her way down to tell Cadvan.  
"Cadvan, Hekibel is sick. Hem is going to help. And Saliman asked for you to come speak with him."  
They hurried up the stairs and met Saliman in the door of his and Hekibel's room.  
"Hem is doing what he can to ease Hekibel's sickness. It seems as though it is a common virus but she will not be able to travel anytime soon. You and Maerad and Hem should continue to Innail, we could follow in a few days when she is well enough to travel. And as it seems I guess we will be traveling the main roads. We are all to weak to trek through the wilderness."  
"But is it a good idea to split up?" Maerad asked  
"No, but the sooner you and Hem are in Innail the sooner you will be safe." Cadvan responded.  
"Then it is settled, you three will continue on as soon as possible."  
Cadvan and Maerad quickly gathered their things. Hem finished with Hekibel and did the same. They saddled their horses and Cadvan paid the innkeeper. Saliman bid them farewell and they were on their way.  
Hem rode Keru behind Darsor who was carrying Cadvan and Maerad. Maerad had noticed that he had stooped glaring at Cadvan at every possible chance. She knew that it had something to do with the conversation they had earlier.  
Hem gave out a startled cry and she spun her head around, expecting an attack. Instead the scene she saw warmed her heart. Irc had landed on Hem's shoulder. They stopped riding for a moment so that hem could pull food out of his saddlebag for Irc who greedily took it. Hem spoke quietly to the bird as they continued riding.  
What an amazing bird Maerad thought. She laid her head against Cadvan's back and wondered at how soon she and Cadvan had become so close. It wasn't much more than holding hands and stolen kisses. But she had wondered at it all the same. Before he had never done more than placed his hand on her shoulder and hugged her in hard times. This was different and it her amazed her. The ways of the heart were so foreign to her, yet it felt right. It felt safe, he felt like home.

**Authors note: Hey! Thanks for reading. First off I apologize for any facts that are slightly off from The Singing. I haven't finished re-reading yet so I went off what I remembered. I do plan on continuing this story. I have big plans for it. Please review. I appreciate any feedback I can get. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

As they approached Innail Maerad smiled at the thought of finally returning to Sylvia, Malgorn, Indik and the wonderful school they called home.  
"Cadvan?"  
"Yes Maerad?"  
"Can we continue my studies now?"  
"Ah such an eager student. I believe that you should rest a week and then we shall continue your studies, I can arrange classes for Hem as well. Would you be okay with that Hem?"  
"I guess." Hem grunted. He had hardly spoken to Cadvan and Maerad as they traveled giving short answers and never initiating conversation.  
They at last came to the gates and the guard, recognizing Cadvan, quickly let them in and sent another guard for Malgorn.  
They went straight to the stables where Malgorn joined them.  
"Cadvan, Thank the light you are alive, and you too Maerad and this must be Hem your brother." He embraced Cadvan and then Maerad, shook Hem's hand and called for someone to take care of their horses for them.  
"Come to the house, let us get you some food. Maerad Sylvia has been so worried about you. And you must tell us your story, we have heard fleeting rumors and tales. The only confirmed fact is that Sharma has fallen and his armies are in Disarray. But for now you must eat and sleep."  
Maerad smiled at the bard. She held Cadvan's hand as they followed the bard to his home. Halfway there she felt a bout of fatigue fall over her. Her knees buckled and her sight went dark.  
"Maerad!" Cadvan said as he caught her, and slowly lowered her to the ground. He pulled her into his arms as Hem came rushing from behind him to check for signs of life. Malgorn stopped and turned to them concern filled his face.  
"What happened?" he asked.  
"I think she's just fainted." Hem said. "We've been traveling for a long while and it hasn't been easy. Can you carry her?" He asked Cadvan.  
Cadvan nodded and scooped her up of the ground. They hurried to Malgorn's home where they laid her in her bed. Sylvia fussed over her while Malgorn rushed to get a healer and Hem and Cadvan stood by watching.  
When the healer arrived he declared that Hem was right, that she had fainted from fatigue most likely and that as soon as she woke she should be given water and food and she would be okay.  
Malgorn took Hem to get food and insisted that Cadvan come too, but he refused, saying that he would stay with Maerad until she woke.  
"Cadvan, something has changed hasn't it. I can see it in your eyes." Sylvia said, "You are letting your worry show through."  
"I love her Sylvia. After she and Hem finished the treesong, she fell to the ground and I… I thought she was dead Sylvia. The pit that formed in my soul for those few seconds wasn't something I would ever come back from. It would eat me alive from the inside out and I would never recover. I can't lose her Sylvia."  
"Oh Cadvan. Does she know?"  
"That I love her? Of course. Hem's not happy about it, but she is."  
Sylvia smiled. "I've done all I can for Maerad. I'm going to go get a plate of food for you and a plate for Maerad. I'll be back soon."  
Once she was gone Cadvan moved his chair as close to Maerad's bed as he could. He took her hand in his, carefully as not to wake her, he then gently kissed it.  
"Please wake my Elednor, I would be lost without you." Her eyes fluttered open at her name and she listened quietly to his plea. "You bring a light to my life that I haven't felt since Ceredin- since I killed Ceredin. From the moment that you saw me and I saw you in Gilman's Cot you have brought hope and purpose to my life. I do not know how I survived all of those years without purpose, without you. Please Elednor, I love you."  
"I love you too Cadvan."  
He looked up at her in shock at her response. A Smile Spread across his face. He pulled her into a hug in his lap where he held her until Sylvia returned with their food.  
"Oh my dear! You're awake. I've brought you food and I insist that you eat all of it. You look as though Cadvan has been stealing your share again."  
They all chuckled at the longstanding joke. Maerad took a seat on her bed to eat. Sylvia stayed and chatted with them as they ate.  
"Hem has already eaten two plates and that bird of his has eaten just as much. Now where is Saliman?"  
"He was traveling behind us with a woman named Hekibel. She grew sick and they stayed behind to let her heal. They are at the most a week behind us. Saliman also needed to rest, Hem healed him of the white sickness but he was still weak."  
"The white sickness? Hem must be a great healer to have done such a thing. You will have to tell us the whole story tomorrow. Maerad I will accompany you to the bathhouse. We don't need you fainting while you are alone."  
"Then I will take my leave." Cadvan said. He went to Maerad hugged her and then gave her a light kiss on the lips. "I will see you tomorrow morning my dear. Goodnight."  
"Goodnight Cadvan."  
He left the room and Sylvia found a simple night robe for Maerad to wear to bed.  
In the bathhouse Sylvia left her mostly to herself. When she had dried off and dressed, Sylvia helped her comb through her hair.  
"Do you love Cadvan, Maerad?"  
"With all my heart." She smiled.  
"Then he is a lucky man. And you are a lucky woman to have him."

**Authors Note: So there is chapter two! I am almost finished with chapter three so it will be up soon. Thanks for reading, please leave a Review! (if you leave a review I'll send you a sneak preview of chapter three) **


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